Defensive Line

The prevailing line on the defensive front was that it lacked team speed, which Kansas head coach Turner Gill promised to remedy in 2011. The biggest move towards more speed starts with starting junior defensive end Toben Opurum. Opurum, a converted halfback, won the starting job in spring practice after he impressed coaches with his quickness off the line. Against McNeese State last week, Opurum had one sack and 11 total tackles. Other than Opurum, the Jayhawks have some budding young talent, but they lack game experience. The defensive line allowed 123 yards on the ground last week, but that was mostly because the Cowboys fell behind.

GRADE: C

Linebackers

The Jayhawks defensive line isn’t the biggest one the Huskies will see, but they are bigger than Army, and if they can keep some blockers off the linebackers, players like senior Steven Johnson will again be free to make tackles all over the field. Again, this a group that is said to lack the speed needed to make all the stops. Gill tried to insert offensive players into the linebacking corps to improve this unit, but the players declined to switch sides.

GRADE: D

Defensive Backs

This could be Kansas’ best defensive component. The secondary is stocked with athletic players like cornerback Greg Brown, and safeties Brad McDougald and Keeston Terry. McDougald and Terry are said to have the defensive mentality and the ball skils to make big plays on defense and have the talent to make up for their lack of experience. Though the secondary is full of players with good football IQs, they allowed receptions to 10 different McNeese State players, totaling 325 yards through the air and two touchdowns.

GRADE: B

Special Teams

This will be a unit that looks to rebound after a questionable 2011. True freshman Alex Mueller is reported to have a strong leg, but he is woefully short on experience, something that has proven to be very useful to young kickers. Sophomore punter Alonso Rojas had three punts blocked last year and hopes the longsnapping duties will finally work out this year.

GRADE: C